You can create your own basic database in something like Filemaker Pro or
MS Access software.  Filemaker Pro seems to handle images better than
Access, but you should look into your options.  Both are cross platform.

The key to creating a useful digital archive is to capture data associated
with the photographs in a way that facilitates access.  I would suggest
looking into various emerging descriptive standards, such as:

Encoded Archival Description (EAD)
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/ead/

Visual Resources Association (VRA) Core Categories
http://www.oberlin.edu/~art/vra/dsc.html

Categories for the Description of Works of Art (CDWA)
http://www.ahip.getty.edu/cdwa/

and others. Thinking ahead about what information you will want and need
to capture about your images is extremely helpful.  Granularity of the
information, too, will make the data more flexible for future use/access.

The database programs mentioned above, as well as many others with basic
export capabilities, can be designed to output the information you capture
for use in other applications (i.e. web publishing, electronic finding
aids, etc.).  By using standard descriptive categories and vocabulary
(AAT, LCSH, lctgm, etc.), you will go along way towards eventually sharing
your information with a broader audience and/or an archive.

Good Luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary W. Elings                        University of California
Pictorial Archivist                         Berkeley, CA 94720
The Bancroft Library                              510-642-8170

On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Margaret Hayon wrote:

> Can anyone recommend software for starting a computer photo archive? I
> have several hundred colour photos of Ethiopian Jewish manuscript pages
> (I photographed several complete manuscripts) and other photomaterial
> that I would like to scan and computerise.  At the moment it's just my
> own private collection; but I'd like to arrange it properly in a form
> that could maybe later be transferred to a museum archive (hopefully to
> the as-yet-nonexistent Museum of Ethiopian Jewish Heritage!)
>
> Thanks,
> Margaret Hayon
> Student of Museology, University of Haifa, Israel
> and researcher of Ethiopian Jewish tradition
>